Diagnostic Essay
The diagnostic essay is used to evaluate your writing in several areas: content, organization, expression and grammar. It will not count towards your grade.
Prepare to write
Before you write, carefully read the prompt to address what it is asking
Brainstorm your main ideas and examples.
Write a simple plan to organize your ideas
Spend 5 to 10 minutes preparing before you write
Write
Write your five paragraph essay for the next 40 minutes
Get your ideas down on paper and have a complete essay
Revise and use Spell Check
Take the last ten minutes to revise your ideas and proofread
Remember to use spell check to help find your errors
Basic Essay format for Cause and Effect Diagnostic
Five paragraphs
Introduction
Background information on situation
One sentence thesis with list of three main ideas (causes or effects)
3 body paragraphs
Topic sentence restates main idea using same key terms
Support with specific examples, and details, and explanation why examples and details support main idea and thesis
Conclusion
Restate thesis and main ideas using the same key terms
Add parting through, reflection, question
Thesis should be one clear sentence that comes at end of first paragraph with three main ideas: one cause has several effects, or one effect has several causes.
Introduction:
Give enough background information on the topic so that a person who is unfamiliar with the issue will understand what is going on. Explain the who, what, where, and why. Write six to eight sentences. Last sentence should be thesis with main ideas.
For example: In the early 1900s, the US was energy independent. There was enough oil and coal in the country to support all our energy needs. However, that changed as our population grew. In the 70s, the US had its first energy crisis. Now we import about fifty percent of our oil and we are dependent on other countries to fulfill our energy needs. How did this happen? There are three main causes for the US being dependent on foreign oil: lack of oil reserves in US, lack of public transit, cars with low fuel mileage.
Body:
In the topic sentence of your body paragraph, always repeat the main idea that you expressed in your thesis, using the same key terms. Then add specific examples and explanation to support your main idea and thesis.
The first cause for being dependent on foreign oil is a lack of oil reserves. The US does not have enough oil to support its needs for energy. It imports more than fifty percent of its oil, it does not allow off shore drilling and many oil reserves in Alaska are not tapped. Since we do not have enough oil to support our needs, we are dependent on foreign oil from countries in the Middle East and around the world. The second cause for being dependent on foreign oil is a lack of public transit. America was built on the idea of people owning their own car and population patterns allow for people to live far away from their places of work. In Southern California, for example, they spend money to expand the crowded highways but spend little money on public transportation for trains and busses. Because they spend little money on publick transport, the trains and the busses they do have are not scheduled to allow people to use them to get around at all times or all areas. There are no night trains from Los Angeles, for example. And the late night bus service in Fullerton was cut. So people must drive their cars, using lots of fuel, which makes us need more foreign oil. The third cause for being dependent on foreign oil is cars with low fuel mileage. Because of the low fuel mileage of most American cars we need more to use more oil than if we had cars with better mileage. For example, the Humvee gets about 10 miles to the gallon. And most cars in the US average around 25 mpg, unlike European cars which get at least 30 mpg or more. Since there is little public transport we need to drive our cars to work, and since our cars are fuel inefficient, this creates a need for more and more oil.
Conclusion:
Repeat your thesis and main ideas using the same key terms for the main ideas. End with a parting thought, a suggestion, idea, an ironic statement. About five to seven sentences. DO NOT introduce new facts or evidence to support the thesis.
As you can see, the US is dependent on foreign oil for three main reasons. The US has a lack of oil reserves because it only has fifty percent of the oil it needs for reserves. The US has a lack of public transit because there is not enough money spent for public transit. And finally, US cars have low fuel mileage meaning the US needs burns more oil. In order for the US to be energy independent, we need to create alternative energy sources, support public transport, and create cars with higher fuel standards. Or one day we will be a poor nation, unable to pay for our fuel.
Important: Repeat key terms three times in essay: intro, body and conclusion. Use the same words.
Diagnostic Essay
Diagnostic Essay
The diagnostic essay is used to evaluate your writing in several areas: content, organization, expression and grammar. It will not count towards your grade.
Basic Essay format for Cause and Effect Diagnostic
Five paragraphs
Thesis should be one clear sentence that comes at end of first paragraph with three main ideas: one cause has several effects, or one effect has several causes.
Introduction:
Give enough background information on the topic so that a person who is unfamiliar with the issue will understand what is going on. Explain the who, what, where, and why. Write six to eight sentences. Last sentence should be thesis with main ideas.
For example:
In the early 1900s, the US was energy independent. There was enough oil and coal in the country to support all our energy needs. However, that changed as our population grew. In the 70s, the US had its first energy crisis. Now we import about fifty percent of our oil and we are dependent on other countries to fulfill our energy needs. How did this happen? There are three main causes for the US being dependent on foreign oil: lack of oil reserves in US, lack of public transit, cars with low fuel mileage.
Body:
In the topic sentence of your body paragraph, always repeat the main idea that you expressed in your thesis, using the same key terms. Then add specific examples and explanation to support your main idea and thesis.
The first cause for being dependent on foreign oil is a lack of oil reserves. The US does not have enough oil to support its needs for energy. It imports more than fifty percent of its oil, it does not allow off shore drilling and many oil reserves in Alaska are not tapped. Since we do not have enough oil to support our needs, we are dependent on foreign oil from countries in the Middle East and around the world.
The second cause for being dependent on foreign oil is a lack of public transit. America was built on the idea of people owning their own car and population patterns allow for people to live far away from their places of work. In Southern California, for example, they spend money to expand the crowded highways but spend little money on public transportation for trains and busses. Because they spend little money on publick transport, the trains and the busses they do have are not scheduled to allow people to use them to get around at all times or all areas. There are no night trains from Los Angeles, for example. And the late night bus service in Fullerton was cut. So people must drive their cars, using lots of fuel, which makes us need more foreign oil.
The third cause for being dependent on foreign oil is cars with low fuel mileage. Because of the low fuel mileage of most American cars we need more to use more oil than if we had cars with better mileage. For example, the Humvee gets about 10 miles to the gallon. And most cars in the US average around 25 mpg, unlike European cars which get at least 30 mpg or more. Since there is little public transport we need to drive our cars to work, and since our cars are fuel inefficient, this creates a need for more and more oil.
Conclusion:
Repeat your thesis and main ideas using the same key terms for the main ideas. End with a parting thought, a suggestion, idea, an ironic statement. About five to seven sentences. DO NOT introduce new facts or evidence to support the thesis.
As you can see, the US is dependent on foreign oil for three main reasons. The US has a lack of oil reserves because it only has fifty percent of the oil it needs for reserves. The US has a lack of public transit because there is not enough money spent for public transit. And finally, US cars have low fuel mileage meaning the US needs burns more oil. In order for the US to be energy independent, we need to create alternative energy sources, support public transport, and create cars with higher fuel standards. Or one day we will be a poor nation, unable to pay for our fuel.
Important: Repeat key terms three times in essay: intro, body and conclusion. Use the same words.